Still of part one of "siku/siku" (of a two part piece) performed at the Arctic Arts Summit in Harstad, Norway in 2017.

siku/siku

"siku/siku" is a performance art piece that debuted in Harstad, Norway at the first Arctic Arts Summit in 2017. "siku/siku" has two parts to it, each part was performed on two separate days. The show was conceived and executed by Allison Akootchook Warden. Siku is one word for ice in Iñupiaq, and it is also a word that is used as an alternative name for the drug meth, or methamphetamine. Meth use is in the Arctic communities of Alaska, and Warden has seen it effect her Iñupiaq Nation directly. On day one of the performance, Warden sits on a white box, in a square shape. In the half hour performance, she portrays a character that has taken the meth substance. On day two, Warden returns on her box, but this time is dressed in traditional clothing and only speaks in Iñupiaq. She is portraying a character that is working towards the revitalization of her Iñupiaq language. This half hour day two performance has a very different feel from the performance the day before.

The performance serves to illustrate the impact of the rapid colonization of her traditional homelands and how one life can be very different, just through a few different choices, circumstances and reactions an individual has towards life's challenges, especially systemic barriers, including racism. The character portrayed on both days is in essence, the same person.

Still of part two of "siku/siku" (of a two part piece) performed at the Arctic Arts Summit in Harstad, Norway in 2017.